Solving time: 27:34

I rattled through this one pretty quickly for me. I don't get under 30 minutes very often.

I enjoyed this one quite a lot, particularly the rather rude 5d, which is probably my clue of the year so far! Anyway, I should have posted this already, so I'd better get on with it.

cd = cryptic def., dd = double def., rev = reversal, homophones are written in quotes, anagrams as (--)*, and removals like this

Across
1	BAR MEN - dd
5	MUG'S + GAME
9	BA(RENTS)SE + A
10	Street + PRY
11	AS IS - I got this from the definition (unchanged) and checkers. I couldn't work out the wordplay then, and I still can't now. Can someone fill me in, please?
12	HEARTBREAK - HEART = (EARTH)*, although the clue doesn't seem quite sure what it is. There seem to be two anagrinds - 'Moving' and BREAK. I suppose it's true that an anagram of EARTH would also be an anagram of HEART.
13	T + R + IPOD
15	ESPECIAL = (PLAICe + SEEn)*
17	CHICK + PE + Abnormality - A perfectly sound clue, albeit not a very politically correct one!
19	CANNES = SENNA + C all rev - for those not up on the F1 motor racing, Ayrton Senna was the three time champion driver who was killed during the '94 San Marino Grand Prix
21	FAIRY TALES = Fiction Advanced + (REALITY'S)* - &lit
23	S + PIN - I have no idea what the surface is supposed to mean though.
25	USER = (SURE)*
26	ADULT + E + RATE
27	F + LAWLESS
28	NIGHt + ON - Are evening and night synonymous? I suppose under certain circumstances they might be.
Down
2	A + DAMS
3	MEET + SUP - Meet being an old-fashioned word for 'proper'
4	NOTCHED UP = (DUTCH OPEN)*
5	MASSAGE PARLOURS = (ORGASMS ARE A PLUS)* - That's a brilliant anagram, one of the best I've seen. A bit cheeky, but easily my COD.
6	G + RAFT
7	GAS + TRICk - 'corporation' for stomach is an old chestnut that's always worth keeping an eye out for.
8	MARMALADE = (ALARM)* in (MAD + E)* - a well-disguised definition
14	REHEARSAL = REAL about (SHARE)*
16	PACK SIT-IN
18	C(O + RN)ROW - I didn't know the term, but it was easy enough to get from the wordplay
20	NOSE RAG = (ORANGES)*
22	TEASEr
24	INTRO = (TRIO)* about N

Reasonably straighforward Mephisto but with two French and one Latin tag thrown into the mix. Quite why the French put things on the carpet whilst the English put them on the table when they raise them as ideas for discussion I'm not sure - must say something about the respective cultures.

Across
1	RELETS - (STELE-R) all reversed; R from (selle)R; stone tablet=STELE;
6	MERCY - cheerful=merry then second repitition=r so convert that to c=about;
10	EAUX - (chat)EAUX;
11	WEREGILD - WE'RE-GILD; old word for flush=GILD; payment in restitution;
12	PARTI,PRIS - PARIS surrounds (trip)*; a decision already taken from the French prendre and pris; ;
14	UPDREW - (pure w)* surrounds D=diamonds (cards);
16	TEA - T(E)A; Earl=E; TA=Territorial Army;
18	STRAND - STRA(N)D; to me a defunct brand name famous for its self destructive advertising;
19	PENDENTE,LITE - P(END)EN-T-ELITE; female swan=PEN; old word for "to"=T; alpha set=A List=ELITE; Latin tag for pending litigation;
21	FUSIBLE,METAL - (blue flames it)*; metal alloy such as solder;
23	PRATIE - PR-A-TIE; present=PR; an Irish spud;
26	LID - Scots fool=dill then remove "l" and reverse=LID;
28	FLAMEN - FL-AMEN; Liechenstein=FL; Roman priest;
29	DYSTOPIAN - (dainty sop)*; opposite of utopian;
30	MINDLESS - M(INDL)ESS; tree=lind then move top=l to the east=IND-L;
31	ISLE - IS-LE;
32	B-CELL - BC-(f)ELL; Board of Control=BC; white blood cells, part of the immune system;
33	ASSENT - ASS-ENT; ENT=Ear,Nose and Throat;
Down
1	REPULP - (supplier - is)*;
2	LURDANS - LUR(e)-DAN(e)S; incompetent people;
3	EXTRADITED - EX(TRAD)ITED;
4	TWIER - T(W)IER; old nozzle;
5	ARRESTEE - SERRA reversed - TEE; SERRA=(mountain) chain; bust=arrested;
6	MEINT - M(E)INT; Scots for venture=MINT; old word for mixed;
7	RIOT - R(IO)T; cry of joy=IO;
8	CLIENTAGE - C-LIE-NT-AGE; caught=C; press=LIE; not=NT; mature=AGE;
9	YDRAD - lifetime=DAY then reverse around DR=doctor; old word for dread;
13	SUR,LE,TAPIS - (plus satire)*; usually mettre sur le tapis - in English "put on the table" for discussion;
15	PLEURITIC - PL(acebos)-(I cure it)*;
17	UNLEASED - UN-L-EASED;
20	ITEMISE - I-TE-MISE; current=I (physics); note=TE; old expenditure=MISE;
22	LINNET - LIN-NET; beside waterfall=LIN;
23	PLUMB - PLUM-B(ertie); Wodehouse was known to his friends as Plum;
24	IDYLL - hidden reversed (lams)ID-YLL(ufwa);
25	GLOSS - two meanings 1=render plausible (spin) 2=explanation for obscurity (this blog?);
27	DONE - D-ONE; god=deity=D; I=ONE;

It's clear that LJ is moribund as a regular blogging medium for Scrabblers. The cross-tables forums are not really any better, despite several past attempts at reviving them. I know that we all get busy; heck, I'm barely on ISC anymore, almost never look at the newsgroups, and haven't done a whole lot of Scrabble-related stuff besides a handful of tournaments in the past year. That said, where is everyone unloading their thoughts now? I'm not seeing them on Facebook, with a few occasional exceptions.

I don't have a whole lot of Scrabble things to say due to where my life is headed, and I could post about those non-Scrabble things on here, but is anyone really even reading LJ anymore? The forums? Does anyone read notes on Facebook, which I've seen a few people try (and tried myself)?

... according to this article at AOL:

http://tinyurl.com/avl8qt2

... and the largest percentage of diagnoses are for ADHD (the H standing for Hyperactivity).  But our brilliant Congress insists on preserving the ability of this and subsequent unstable generations of individual private citizens to obtain firearms sans examination.  At least we know by the 37 times they have also voted to repeal the "Affordable Care Act" that they have no attention deficit; well, except as regards necessary acts of governance of the people by the people for the people.

Didn't have time to finish this today, so look out for it later tonight. Actually I didn't get back home till nearly midnight, but here it is eventually. Three cryptic definitions in the one puzzle is a bit high for the Times, but they weren't bad ones. Solving time was about 15 minutes I think (forgot to make a note of it).

Across
1	PLAINTIFFS - PLAIN (unaffected) + TIFFS (arguments).
6	AVID - AV (Authorised Version = bible) + ID (papers).
9	IMHOTEP - IMHO (txtish for "in my humble opinion") + PET (favourite) reversed.
10	RESIDED - i.e. RE-SIDED
12	ON CUE - ONE (I) around CU (copper, a great conductor).
13	STIR-CRAZY - cryptic definition.
14	PHOTOJOURNALISM - another cryptic definition.
17	NUMBER-CRUNCHING - (Munich, Nurnberg)* around C(old).
20	GAS-FITTER - GAS (rabbit) + FITTER (more appropriate).
21	ISLET - IS LET (has tenant).
23	ACADEME - ACE (one club perhaps) around (made)*.
24	OSBORNE - O'S (appeal's) + BORNE (supported). Nice to see "appeal" meaning something other than IT or SA.
25	SPEW - S(afe) + PEW (seat).
26	SEA SERPENT - SPENT (all in) around EASE (move gradually) + R(ight).

Down
1	POISON PEN - PO (Post Office) + IS OPEN (has started up) around N(ew).
2	AD HOC - "ADD HOCK"
3	NOT BEFORE TIME - (OBE, merit, often)*
4	IMPASTO - I (one) + MO (doctor) around PAST (by).
5	FERRIER - double definition, the first Kathleen Ferrier (1912-53). Never heard of her!
7	VODKATINI - (it on avid k)*, where avid is the answer to 6ac.
8	DADDY - DAY (Sun, maybe) around DD (daughters).
11	SOCIAL CLIMBER - cryptic definition.
15	ON-MESSAGE - MESS (confusion) inside ON AGE (over date).
16	MIGHTIEST - MIG (jet fighter) + (it's the)*.
18	CAT'S-EYE - YE (you) underneath CASE (box) around T(ime).
19	UPROOTS - hidden reversed in "pesto or puree"
20	GRASS - GRASPS (picks up) without the P for "quietly".
22	LARGE - last letters of "football, idea for completing the".

I didn't solve this in one session, so I can't quote a time, but I thought it was reasonably straightforward.

As ever, * indicates an anagram.

Across
1	COASTER - double definition
5	ASCENDANT - DAN in A SCENT (DAN was one of the tribes of Israel)
10	STUD - T, in SUD (French for south)
14	WHEELER-DEALER - cryptic indication. I'm not too sure about the 'reason' part of the clue
15	CHAROLAIS - I think the secondary indication is meant to indicate that the answer sounds like 'cha au lait', or 'char au lait', with 'tea' indicating the 'cha(r)' part. If that's correct, it's a very loose interpretation of the usual pronunciation. 'Not from this beast' indicates that CHAROLAIS is a breed of cattle used for beef, not milk, production
16	GRAND-UNCLE - GRAND (£1000) + UNCLE. UNCLE is a term for a pawnbroker, and 'pledged' can mean 'pawned'
17	EVANESCENCE - nave (reversed), + ESCENCE (sounds like essence)
18	LINEN - Neil (reversed), around cleaN
19	LIMITATION - L + IMITATION
21	AMOEBA - A MB + A, around OE
23	SWEETCORN - WEE + Tim in SCORN
25	DRACO - RAC, in DO (short for ditto)
26	POINTED - INTEnD after PO
28	FINNEGANS WAKE - FINN + EG, + ANSWEr around A K
31	YORKSHIRE - (hero risky)*
33	LEASTWISE - LEWIS around A ST, + Ecstasy
35	OFF ONE'S ROCKER - double definition
37	SPARTAN - PART in SANatorium
38	TOILS - double definition. TOILS is an old-fashioned term for a snare, often a net or nets
40	AGREEABLE - A GREEk + ABLE
42	GARNET - ARNE (composer) in GreaT
44	HANG-GLIDER - (heralding g)*
46	ORRIS - mORRIS
48	ANTIOXIDANT - ANT + I, + OXIDANT (sounds rather like Occident)
50	CIRCUMFLEX - CIRCLE + X, outside U + Mimic + French
52	MILLENNIA - MILL, + ENNI (sounds like any), + A
53	WATCH THE CLOCK - double definition (sort of)
54	NODE - ODE, after N (last letter of Willesden)
55	CATHEDRAL - (Chard late)*
56	NURSERY - NUR (National Union of Railwaymen) + SE + RailwaY

'

Down
1	COWL - a very nice clue, managing to include two cryptic indications (COW + L; C + OWL) and a definition (it's a habit) in only 8 words
2	ABERRANCE - ABE (Abraham Lincoln) + RAN + CE, around first letter of religious
3	TALK NINETEEN TO THE DOZEN - cryptic indication
4	RORQUAL - hidden in poweR OR QUALity
5	AMERCEMENTS - A MERCEr + MET + S, around N
6	COLLECTED - COLLECT + E + Divine
7	NERVE - double definition
8	ARCHAEOLOGY - cryptic definition
9	TRAVEL - all-nighT + RAVE + L
11	TRAINEE - TEE, around IN after RA (Royal Academician)
12	DISREGARD - DI'S REGARD
13	NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICER - cryptic definition
18	LUSTFUL - LT around US, + alternate letters of 'foully'
20	TEA-LEAF - double definition. TEA-LEAF is Cockney rhyming slang for a thief ('Light-fingered Londoner')
22	APPRISER - APPRaISER
24	ORATIONS - A T, in ORION'S
27	THICK - double definition
29	NYALA - A between NY and LA (New York, Los Angeles)
30	ADORING - RING after A DO
32	EARLESS - fEARLESS
34	EXTRAVAGANT - EXTRA (indicated by 'run'; the obligatory cricket reference) + VAGrANT
36	NEANDERTHAL - (heard late nn)*
37	SIGNAL MAN - SIGNAL (of great importance) + MAN
39	SOLICITOR - double definiton
41	BARGEPOLE - BARE POLE, around G
43	RATTLED - double definition
45	ROUGHEN - first letters of 'grand hotel', in ROUEN
47	PICNIC - sounds like 'pick nick' (nick = police station, indicated by 'place for Old Bill')
49	TAWSE - With + SE, after TA (Territorial Army)
51	OKAY - O + KAY

This one took me over the hour for the third consecutive day. I was tired after a long evening at the theatre which didn’t help. Live Journal is playing up again so I'm going to write a bare-bones blog in the hope of being able to post it. If successful I may come back later in the day and add to it. There's still a problem adding and viewing comments so I may be in for a lonely day here.

* = anagram

Across
1	PILGRIM - LIP reversed, GRIM. A reference to Bunyan's 'The Pilgrim's Progress'.
5	PASTEUR - PAST,EU,R. The scientist Louis Pasteur.
9	WOW FACTOR - WOW, F,ACTOR
10	ALARM - A,L,ARM
11	ABSOLUTE PITCH - Often known as perfect pitch, it's the ability to recognise or produce a note without reference to another source.
13	VISIGOTH - VISI(GO)T,H
15	NORDIC - NOR,DICe. Didn't know or had forgotten that bones can be dice.
17	RIBALD - Royal Institute of British Architects,L,Drawing
19	CLERICAL - Office work is termed 'clerical' separately from the meanings associated with church.
22	THERMONUCLEAR - (REMOTE LAUNCH)* + waR
25	WEIRD - I inside DREW reversed
26	UNCERTAIN - (TUNA NICER)*
27	ROYALTY - YALTa inside ROY. It was a conference at the end of WWII.
28	PAYSLIP - YAP reversed, SLIP
Down
1	PAWL - PAW,L (as opposed to R for right). Didn’t know this word for a lever.
2	LOW MASS - Cryptic definition.
3	REAMS - Sounds like 'Reims' the famous cathedral.
4	MUTILATE - I,L inside MUTATE
5	PIRATE - I inside PRATE
6	SHAMPOOER - S, then OO (glasses) inside HAMPER
7	EXACTED - ETC, AXE all reversed, Damage
8	RAMSHACKLE - RAM,SHACKLE
12	IVORY TOWER
14	GOLD MEDAL - hoG,OLD, then Died inside MEAL
16	BLACKCAP - A bird and the item that used to be worn by judges as they pronounced the death penalty.
18	BREVITY - BR, lEVITY with reference to the saying that it is "the soul of wit". Said by Polonius in Hamlet, apparently.
20	CURTAIL - L replaces the N of 'curtain'.
21	INJURY - IN,JURY
23	EARLY - EARL-Y
24	SNAP - As in brandy snap, the sickly Christmas 'treat'.